


Maybe in This Lifetime

by Paige242



Category: The Bureau of Magical Things
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-03
Updated: 2018-11-03
Packaged: 2019-08-16 21:57:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,735
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16503455
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Paige242/pseuds/Paige242
Summary: Darra contemplates his relationship with Kyra and gets some unexpected insights from the Professor.





	Maybe in This Lifetime

**Author's Note:**

> Apparently there are no fics for this show- and maybe I'm the only one watching- but I'm enjoying it and have had this plot bunny in my head.

It was late, and the young man knew that he should have gone home hours ago. Usually, he was the first to dash off after class was dismissed—Darra had never been the keenest of students, and he had little interest in giving up his leisure time for extra credit.

But today it had seemed more appealing to stick around the library after hours. Imogen had been in a bit of a state after getting a mere B on her latest paper, his mother was off galivanting in Europe somewhere, and his father was undoubtedly working late (as always). He didn’t have any plans for the evening and all that was awaiting him at home was a grumpy sister (who was probably studying anyway) and countless cavernous empty rooms. Blackwell manor had been in his family for centuries and, while beautiful, its size could make it feel like an excessively lonely place at times. He had spent far too much of his youth wandering through it, alone and aimless. He was not in the mood to do that now.

The library was far cozier, and the thousands of books contained within its walls provided some entertainment, at least. Darra was well aware that he should have been using this extra time to start the reading for their next magical theory test but, true to form, he had meandered to the fiction section instead and was currently looking through a stack of novels he had grabbed, hoping to find one that would perk his interest. It seemed, however, that he had inadvertently managed to gather tomes from the romance section and he gave a small scowl as he tossed yet another mushy-sounding book on to the couch beside him.

Darra was not much for romantic stuff on a good day—and he was certainly in no mood for it today. He’d been hoping to find some sort of action or adventure story to take his mind off of such things but it appeared that he was out of luck. Maybe the universe really was out to get him, he mused bitterly.

Despite his easy charm and bravado, the young man rarely let himself feel as vulnerable as he had that afternoon and it stung that things had not gone according to plan. Kyra had been on his mind constantly in recent weeks, especially since their unexpected jaunt to the architect’s hidden beach, and he had finally mustered the courage to ask her out. Although he had asked many girls out before, this was the first time he had truly cared about the answer. With her, it wasn’t just about having a bit of meaningless fun. Darra knew that he actually liked her. A lot.  It was a new and unsettling feeling, and his heart had pounded in his chest as he had waited for her reply.

But she had said no.

Well, it wasn’t exactly a no…

She had said that she wanted to, but that she was simply too stressed out with everything else that was going on. Perhaps she had just been saying that to let him down gently. It had felt like she meant it, though. The door was still open, he supposed, but it had still not been the answer he had been hoping for.

There was no denying the chemistry between them. He was pretty sure that she felt it too and he had seen her blush more than once when they accidentally got too close. That was a reassuring thought, but it served to make her rejection all the more frustrating. Being with her seemed so right. He had never felt such a strong pull towards anyone before and he was pretty sure that he knew her well enough by now to see that she felt similarly.

And yet, she had turned him down.

The young man had no idea what to do next. He supposed that he should drop it completely and try to quash what he felt as well as he could. If Kyra didn’t want to go out with him then he had to respect that and he was far too proud to beg for a reconsideration, as much as he may have wanted to.

Perhaps he could convince himself that it was all for the best.

Kyra was right about one thing—she was in a complicated situation and no one knew what the future held. The girl was an anomaly, even by magical standards. And it was possible that her magic could disappear just as abruptly as it had arrived. They would literally be worlds apart if that happened and any relationship would be extremely complicated. But Darra knew that didn’t really matter to him. He didn’t like her for her magic and he would be just as happy in her company if she was to become human again.

And, he thought bitterly as he tossed aside yet another romance novel with an image of an elven couple embracing on the cover, maybe things would actually be better if they could just get away from it all.

It had always felt as if his life had been laid out for him. He was the heir to a family fortune that had been amassing for generations and his father had started grooming him to take his place as the head of the magical bank as soon as he could talk. Every eldest son in their family line had filled the same role ever since the elven monarchy had been abolished and the treasury had come into being. The man had decided where he would go to school, told him that he had to work for the DMI to gain “life experience” for a few years before taking his rightful place, and had done his best to ensure that he socialized with the “right sort.”  Darra had always been annoyed by his father’s heavy-handed approach, but everything had been so deeply engrained in him that he had largely accepted his fate without argument. At least his father cared, he had always told himself. That was more than he could say for his absentee mother.

It was no secret that his parents had married for status and money rather than love. His mother came from one of the wealthiest elven families in Ireland and their match had been arranged by their fathers before they had even met. That was not an uncommon practice in the magical world, but his family was living proof that it was not a wise approach. Perhaps they had tried to make the best of it at one point but he was pretty sure that the only thing his father had really cared about was producing an heir. Imogen had been born first and they had instantly tried again for a boy, resulting in his birth a short eleven months later. After that, it seemed that his mother’s duty had been fulfilled and they were pawned off on various nannies and servants as she travelled the world.  His father had been a little more present, at least, and Darra never doubted the man’s pride in his children. But this wasn’t how things were supposed to be and it wasn’t what he wanted for himself.

It had not been discussed (yet), but one of his greatest fears was being paired off with some wealthy elven girl who was just as disinterested as his mother.

He wanted something more.

He wanted love—even if some dismissed it as a silly human fantasy. Humans may have been strange, but he was pretty sure that they were right about this.

And he was also pretty sure that he would never feel as strongly about some random girl as he did about Kyra. His father would probably blow a gasket if he told him about his growing affection for the formerly-human tri-ling but Darra didn’t really care.

There was something special about her and he would happily turn his back on everything else if it meant he could be with her.

As terrifying as being trapped on the other side of that portal had been, the thought of living a simple life in a secluded beach house—with her—had appealed to him far more than he would have expected. He wouldn’t have to be Darra Blackwell anymore and he would finally be free of all of the expectations and conventions he had struggled to accept. Magic, elves, fairies, orbs, secrets, pressure…none of that had mattered there.

For a few blissful moments, it had only been them.  

That wasn’t reality, though.

And he wasn’t sure if they would ever be able to truly escape.

“Darra, you’re still here?”

The young man turned abruptly, surprised to hear another voice in the room. There had been no sound of footsteps and the new arrival had caught him off-guard. He quickly realized, however, that there was no need to be alarmed.

“Oh, hi Professor.” He greeted, doing his best to mask his alarm. “Just doing a bit of light reading. I hope that’s okay.”

His mentor smiled warmly as he gave a reassuring nod. “I never discourage my students from reading.” He replied as he slowly made his way to an adjacent chair and took a seat.

After letting out a peaceful sigh he glanced at Darra’s pile of discarded books and let a small smile tug at the sides of his mouth.

“I must say, I never pegged you as a fan of romantic literature.” He commented, an amused twinkle in his eye.

Darra did his best not to blush as he gave a quick shrug. “I just grabbed random books.” He explained, wishing he had been less hasty with his selections. There were at least fifteen books with schmaltzy covers littering the couch beside him and any onlooker would be forgiven for thinking he had an obsession with tales of epically soppy love.

The professor raised an eyebrow as his eyes skimmed through the pile and Darra watched as he reached forward and picked out a tome from the bottom of a stack that he had not yet looked through.

The older man held it up for a moment, examining it with a slow shake of his head. “I haven’t seen this one in years.” He muttered, more to himself than to his companion. “It was one of my mother’s favourites, for good reason.” Maxwell stated as he placed it down on the table between them. “It’s a little bit better than some of your other accidental selections, I assure you.”

Darra highly doubted that but he looked down at the book anyway, curious about what the professor had pulled out. As he read the title and examined the painted image on the cover he instantly felt an uncomfortable twisting sensation in his stomach.

 _Maybe In Another Lifetime,_ it read in embossed golden letters. Below the title was a picture of a human woman and an elven man with pained expressions on their faces as they reached out towards each other.

The boy had to supress a groan. The universe really was out to get him today, it seemed.

“Not a happy love story, I guess.” He muttered, his eyes locked on the distraught looking elf on the cover. The character looked nothing like him, aside from the pale complexion and pointed ears, but he could not help but draw a parallel. The message of the story was loud and clear, even without reading a single page inside.  

Maybe it was meant to serve as an unwelcomed warning.

Maxwell let out a quiet scoff. “No, those sorts of stories are rarely happy.” He mused.

Darra looked up to see a sad smile etched across his face and there was no doubt that the mention of this sort of forbidden love drew up all sorts of difficult memories for the halfling. The young man didn’t know much about the professor’s past, but he knew what this world was like.

It was easy to guess how hard his parents’ lives had been.

How hard his life had been.

For all their talk of superiority, magical beings could be truly closed minded at times.

“Were your parents happy?” He asked, surprising himself with his sudden bold question. He instantly regretted blurting it out. This was his professor, after all, and it was rude to pry. Everyone knew that Maxwell was a halfling—with an elven mother and a human father—but he had never offered much more information than that. They were all a bit curious, and had discussed it quietly on more than one occasion, but no one had ever dared to ask about his childhood for fear of annoyance and anger.

Thankfully, the older man did not seem to mind. He gave Darra a small smile before looking up at the ceiling for a moment, as if lost in thought.

The boy waited patiently, relived that he had not crossed some sort of line.

“They were happy, as much as they could have been.” Maxwell began, looking back towards his student.

Darra was glad to hear that, and he felt a surge of hope rush through him as Kyra’s face flickered through his mind. But he also knew that there was probably more to the story.

“As you know, the magical community in Ireland is even more traditional than it is here so there was no hope for happiness in that world.” The professor continued, letting out a small sigh.

The young man nodded, well aware of what Maxwell was referring too. Things in Australia were not very progressive either but at least this was the new world. People had come here for a fresh start. Magical creatures intermingled more freely and some interaction with humans was not frowned upon too harshly. But in Europe it was another story, as he knew from his visits to his mother’s family on the Irish coast. Those communities were far more entrenched and inward looking. Even the various magical groups mostly kept to themselves. He remembered trying to make conversation with a fairy during a trip to a local market once and being chided by his grandmother for it.

The old woman would have had a heart attack if he had tried speaking to a human.

Darra inched towards the edge of his seat, itching to hear more. “So what did they do then?” He asked, unable to suppress his curiosity.

“They found a nice secluded cottage in Connemara.” The professor continued, pausing as his mind undoubtedly drifted back to his childhood home.

Darra could not help but think back to a certain private cottage on the beach. Perhaps leaving that place had been a mistake, he mused sadly. At least they had finally been able to relax and there had been no one around to judge. 

“They kept mostly to themselves but did go into the human village when they needed to.” Maxwell added. “But it wasn’t ideal and we were quite isolated out there. For better or worse, they told my father’s family the truth about what my mother was and, of course, they refused to accept it.” There was another short pause. “Non-magical Ireland was conservative in those days too—apparently my grandparents were convinced she was a demon or some such nonsense. I don’t really know, they never wanted to meet me and I don’t suppose I would have enjoyed meeting them.”

“So you never got to know either side of your family?” The young man asked, his eyes wide as he tried to imagine what that had been like. He may not have had the perfect family, but it was hard to imagine being completely cut off. It seemed like such a harsh thing to do for such a silly and misguided reason.

Maxwell shook his head. “No.” He confirmed with a slow shake of his head. “Their union was rejected by both sides and none of their relatives had any interest in meeting their half-breed son.” The man paused again, clearly recalling more distant memories. “It was hardest on my mother.” He continued, glancing down at the book that had started their conversation. “Before she met my father she had hardly spent any time in the human world and she was completely out of her element. It was difficult for her to make friends in the village and she was always worried that the magic masking her ears would falter and she would be revealed.”

Darra knew that same worry very well and he instantly felt for the woman who had been forced to hide for all those years. The spell to mask one’s ears was simple enough but nothing was perfect and it was hard to make it last for more than twenty-four hours. A bit of a break was required after that—he couldn’t imagine having to maintain it day in and day out.

“She always said she was grateful that I had my father’s ears—and I suppose that was lucky in some ways. But I did have her magic and that was hard enough.” The professor carried on with his tale. “She home-schooled me because it was too risky for me to be around my human peers as a child, so I never really felt like I fit in either. I didn’t feel like I had a place until I moved here and began my secondary training.”  

That was a feeling he was far too familiar with as well. He hadn’t had to hide his magic, of course, but he had never really been accepted by his peers growing up and struggled to make bonds. In Darra’s case, it was because people resented the power and privilege he had been born into—but still, the awful feeling of loneliness and rejection had plagued his childhood.

Only recently had he begun to feel like he had friends. Lily and Rusky were both non-judgemental people, and Kyra didn’t know anything about his family or their past. It had been so refreshing to get to know someone without any preconceived notions and he loved that he was simply Darra in her eyes.

He wished that they could always just be Darra and Kyra.

Together.  

But he had a sinking feeling that things would never be that simple.

“So I suppose the short answer to your question, Darra.” The professor began again, snapping him out of his daze. “Is that they did their best to be happy in difficult circumstances, but it was never easy. They loved each other, though. There was never any doubt about that.”

The boy nodded. He wished that their tale had been a happier one and he wished that there had been more progress over the years—but the reality was that not enough had changed. He wasn’t sure if it ever would.

“I think I could do it. Maybe.” He mused, not realizing he had spoken out loud at first. Speaking before thinking seemed to be one of the many unpleasant themes of the day. “What your mother did, I mean.” He clarified.

Maxwell raised an eyebrow again as he looked at his young student. As always, his expression seemed to suggest that he knew more than he was letting on and the man gave a knowing smile.

“I, of all people, would never tell you not to try. And you would always have my support.”

Darra felt a sudden swell of excitement and relief within him and he gave his mentor a grateful nod. It was strange, having this sort of conversation with the professor—but the man had always been warm and there was no doubt that he was one of the few people he could talk to about this. Imogen suspected his feelings but he had not felt comfortable talking to her about it. And there was no way he could possibly bridge the topic with his mother or father. His dad would probably marry him off to the next elven girl he saw if he caught wind of his affection for the formerly human tri-ling.

“Sometimes I wonder what it would be like to just leave all of this behind.” Darra began again, gesturing around the library as he spoke. “You know I’m no magical prodigy and if I do everything my father wants me to my life is going to be just as boring and unfulfilling as his.”

It was hard to picture himself in a pinstriped suit overseeing the largest institution in the magical world. That had never seemed to fit, no matter what his father said.

“I could start fresh in the human world. Things could be simple, and I could be with…”

He felt his cheeks flush as he looked down at the wooden floor. This may have been a surprisingly open conversation, but it was still hard to flat-out declare his burgeoning love.   

Kyra.

The name hung in the air. Unsaid but fully known.

 Maxwell gave him a sympathetic smile. “You can try, Darra. And I understand why you would.” He paused. “But I can also tell you that it’s hard to be a half-elf in a human world, let alone a full one.”

As much as he disliked hearing it, he knew it was a valid point. Maxwell had struggled. His mother had struggled. All of the stories he had recounted that night had made that very clear.

Darra had never hated what he was but as he brought a hand up to the side of his head and traced the long tip of his distinctly elven ear he felt a slight pang of resentment and sadness. He would always be an elf, no matter what spell he tried to cast. And despite the enchantment she was currently under, he and Kyra would never be the same.

She was a human girl who had stumbled into their world.

It was never going to be simple.

And perhaps that meant she would never even give him a chance—but that thought was the most unbearable of them all.

“I’m going to find a way.” He said softly, his face set with steady determination.

Professor Maxwell smiled once more. “I truly hope you do.” He replied.

Darra did his best to believe his own proclamation and he nodded, grateful for the professor’s support.

The road ahead was going to be long but he would never stop dreaming of their cottage by the sea.


End file.
